Author: Zoé Piater

Photo credit: Thady Trá

“His songwriting is delicate, crafted, and simply expressive of earnest desire”
J.P. Raney: Washington Article

O Deer is the musical project of Oisín Walsh-Peelo. Inspired by folk idioms, Oisín’s music is mellow and delicate, and draws from his diverse musical language, his debut album ‘Os’ is out now n CD and digital.

Originally from Co. Wicklow, now based in West Cork, Oisín has travelled extensively with his music. As a session musician (piano, guitars, harp, low-whistles and vocalist) he has played throughout the USA, Europe, Ireland, and the UK. He has toured worldwide with a wide range of artists and bands including Hudson Taylor, Gabrielle Aplin, Hannah-Grace, Villagers, Sun Collective, and I Have a Tribe. Since the release of his first EP ‘O Deer’, Oisín has played support for Hozier in the USA, Joseph (US), Departure Lounge (UK), among others.

Jet Leg (Live Version) https://youtu.be/IiR3FUvm9Cg

Waterside (Live Version – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBljfys1bgQ

Staying at Home (Live Version)  – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLePUONcQ-o

As touring and live music came to a stop in 2020, Oisín used this slower pace to record his debut album, speaking of the process, he says:

“The bulk of this album was recorded between April – June 2020, a span of time that will go down in history, the world was in disarray and everything felt strange and unknown. Despite the chaos, however, I found a beautiful sanctuary in the making of this album. For the first time in my life I paused. I had time to listen in earnest to the sounds around me – the clacks of the sparrow on my roof, the purr of the wood pigeon, the slow drip-drops of spring-rain on the studio, the cautious, slow approach of wind through the forest, the resonance of an open-strung guitar.

My illustrious and endlessly talented brother Ferdia helped me capture some of these moments within this selection of my songs and I present them here for you in album form. I hope that it grants you some of the joy, quietude, and solace it brought us in making it.

‘Os’ on Bandcamp (CD and Digital):

https://odeermusic.bandcamp.com/album/os

O Deer:

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/odeer

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/odeermusic/

Out now on vinyl for the first time

+ NEW official video for ‘Love Someone Else’ ft. Niamh Regan
Directed by Suri Grennell & Gar Cleary
Video link: https://youtu.be/Nr5iHUG_FE4

TODAY Friday 24^th May, David Kitt re-releases his 2006 album Not Fade Away on vinyl for the first time. Originally released on Rough Trade records, the album has been lovingly remastered and re-sequenced, and features brand new song, ‘Love Someone Else’, featuring Niamh Regan.

Today’s release is accompanied by a new music video for ‘Love Someone Else’, directed by Suri Grennell and Garr Cleary. Speaking about it, Kitt says “it’s a tongue-in-cheek piece that alludes to the tragicomedy of delusion and despair, and the fact that everyone is dealing with their own shit… with definite nods to The King of Comedy and Pierre et Gilles.”

Kittser will be returning to his spiritual home, Whelan’s, to perform the album in full as well as some classics from the back catalogue with a full band on Saturday September 21, and ahead of that, performs special in-store shows at:

Fri May 24 – Spin Dizzy Dublin, 6pm

Sat May 25 – Zhivago Galway, 1 pm

Sat May 25 – Steamboat Limerick, 5 pm

Sun May 26 – Rollercoaster Kilkenny, 4 pm

Mon May 27 – Musiczone Cork, 6 pm

For tickets, visit https://www.davidkitt.com/

A unique and sincere songwriter with an expert ability to meld inspirations, eras and sounds, platinum-selling artist David Kitt’s music glimmers with a sense of timelessness well-earned after over twenty years immersed in music.

A note from David Kitt on Not Fade Away – 18 years in the making…

“Not Fade Away was originally released in 2006 on Rough Trade Records. As the record was being made there were rumours going around the music industry that Rough Trade was about to lose its financial backing, and despite reassurances from the label that this wasn’t the case, I had a gnawing feeling that for the third record running something was going to scupper my album getting a proper international release. It felt like my last chance on a big label with proper financial support and international reach, something that ultimately proved to be true.

My personal life was also a complete mess and general confidence was at an all-time low. It was the first time in my life where the sacred space of making music had been invaded by these kinds of fears and outside forces, it was a dark time looking back now and I guess that comes through pretty loud and clear in the lyrics.

In spite of all this, I have many treasured memories from the making of the album – Recording with Romeo and Michelle of The Magic Numbers in Woodstock at the famous Big Pink house the day after being to one of Levon Helm’s famous Midnight Ramble parties which featured an all-star cast including Emmylou Harris singing Evangeline with Levon for the first time since The Band’s Last Waltz. We even got to use the piano played on Bob Dylan’s ‘I Shall Be Released’! Working with Cardigans producer Tore Jonhansson in Malmo on Up To You and Sleep had some real moments of magic as did the recordings with my good friends Karl Odlum and Jimmy Eadie and drummer Graham Hopkins at Black Box Studios in France. Chipping away in the attic of my flat on the canal in Dublin on synths and overdubs and recording my old school friend Paul G. Smyth playing piano at The Church studios in London. A lot of credit has to go to Karl for really pulling me through as both a co-producer on the tracks and as friend and confidante at the time. At a time when confidence was so low, he dragged a lot of good work out of me and helped remind me of what I was capable of and his skills and talents as producer/arranger/musician were essential to this record coming together and its best bits working so well. I really couldn’t have done it without him.

Surely enough, shortly after the release of the record it was announced that Rough Trade had lost its financial backing and that incarnation of the label went under, meaning that my record didn’t get a proper release in Europe or America and barely had any support in the U.K. I was pretty devastated. I had spent two years making it and at the time I thought it was a really strong record. I had received a decent publishing advance and I threw most of it into making a ridiculously expensive music video (capturing for eternity a pretty shocking hair day) and promoting the record in Ireland where it did pretty well and was pretty well-received but it marked the end of that phase of my career and that approach to making records – traipsing around the world in fancy studios with a generous budget. Not Fade Away cost close to 80,000 pounds which is crazy to think nowadays. It’s important to express gratitude to Geoff Travis and Rough Trade for giving me back my masters considering the financial debt I owe them. This doesn’t happen with the likes of Warner Brothers!

When I got the rights to the record back 6 or 7 years ago, I starting thinking about how to approach the reissue. There was a lot I loved about the record but I never loved it as a whole. At times my writing was below par or production wise I wise trying too hard or just off the mark and trying to fit too many ideas into one track. Of all my releases it was the only one that I would change, given the chance, and now I had that opportunity.

I was very conscious of what the record meant to other people, so many people over the years have told me how it had helped them get through difficult breakups and tough times in their lives. I wanted to make sure I preserved what was special about it but make it flow better and trim off all the fat. At one point I thought maybe I should just use the album as material to sample and make a brand new thing but that would have been foolish and time-consuming and disappointing for a lot of fans waiting for a faithful re-issue.

18 years after its initial release I finally have a version of the record I really love available on vinyl for the first time.”

Grab ‘Not Fade Away’ on vinyl: https://spindizzyrecords.com/products/david-kitt-not-fade-away-2024-edition-lp-180g-vinyl

LIVE SHOWS:

May 24 – Spin Dizzy Dublin, 6pm

May 25 – Zhivago Galway, 1 pm

May 25 – Steamboat Limerick, 5 pm

May 26 – Rollercoaster Kilkenny, 4 pm

May 27 – Musiczone Cork, 6 pm

Sept 21^st ‘Not Fade Away’ full band show, Whelan’s Dublin

https://www.whelanslive.com/event/david-kitt/

NOT FADE AWAY TRACKLIST

1. One Clear Way
2. Up To You
3. Sleep
4. Love Someone Else
5. Wish And I Won’t Stop
6. With You
7. Grey Day
8. Say No More
9. I Know The Reason
10. Guilty Prayers, Pointless Ends

‘Naked’, the brand new single from Irish pop icon Lyra, is on release today, Friday May 24th, 2024 via Rubyworks Label.

Following the massive success of her Irish # 1 smash hit self-titled debut album ‘LYRA’, which secured the top spot, outselling Beyonce by 50% on the Irish Charts, Rubyworks has announced the new single ‘Naked’ on release tomorrow Friday May 24th.

Co-written at a David Guetta writing camp with Corey Sanders (Chainsmokers, Joel Corry, Tiësto), Lyra mentions, “so this song was something I wanted to do with David Guetta, imagining a collaboration. It was a lot of fun to do, I love seeing how the audience reacts to “Naked” it’ such a vibrant track”. The record was preceded by ‘Queen’ which notably sits on # 5 New Pop UK chart since its release and reached top # 30 on the Spotify Viral 50 – Irish playlist. It’s been a rollercoaster of a ride the last few weeks for Lyra having just completed her 22 date Irish Tour, the Irish pop icon then hit the road for her headline UK tour in support of the new album.

The album includes pop anthems ‘Chess’, ‘Drink Me Up’ and ‘You’ and has reached over a 1 million streams across digital platforms.
Upcoming Summer Tour dates:

07th June St Annes Park, Dublin support to Cian Ducrot

16 Jun 2024 Sun. Live At The Marquee Cork

28 Jun 2024 Fri. Kaleidoscope 2024 Blessington

29 Jun 2024 Sat. Riverfest 2024 Shannonbridge

27 Jul 2024 Sat. Ballykeeffe Amphitheatre Kilmanagh

Lyra has reached over 21 million streams globally (Spotify and YouTube) with an average of 135 monthly listeners on Spotify and an impressive combined figure of 400K Shazams.

‘NAKED’ OUT NOW from all platforms.

On today’s episode, we are focused on something different – an initiative first started in February 2019, called ‘Me & My Music’ .

‘Me & My Music’ brings together Musicians and Students in secondary schools across the country.

The workshop series teaches students the fundamentals of songwriting and allows them to create an original composition over the course of a school day.

They also get the chance to meet a professional songwriter and learn more about the music industry and their creative process.

In recent months, songwriter and educator Luan Parle has been hosting these workshops and I caught up with her (and her special guests) in a couple of schools to find out more.

So, over the course of this episode you will be hearing from Luan and the music students at St. David’s in Greystones, we meet the Wicklow singer-songwriter Anna-Mieke, we speak with the students at Loreto school in Dalkey, and also hear from musician Ronan Kealy, better known to you and I as Junior Brother.

0:00 – Danny Carroll intro link

1:30 – Luan & St. David’s Class writing a song

8:30 – Anna Mieke interview and performance

(featured songs Seraphim, Warped Window)

https://annamieke.bandcamp.com/music

18:40 – Junior Brother Interview and performance

(featured songs Good Friday, Hungover At Mass)

https://juniorbrother.bandcamp.com/music

22:15 – Students at Loreto Dalkey

23:20 – Niamh Penston, teacher at Loreto Dalkey

Kipunji, aka Paul Jarvis, is a Wicklow-based electronic artist. After having spent the last six years playing and touring with Clannad, Moya Brennan & BANYAH, as a highly regarded keys player, percussionist, producer, and songwriter, Kipunji is Paul’s first solo endeavour, and one that has been extremely successful in a short space of time. Drawing influences from the harmonious folk & new age world he grew up in and being later inspired by Bonobo, Maribou State & Four Tet, the music he creates is warm, uplifting, and melodically rich.

Kipunji burst onto the Irish electronic scene in 2021 with his first single, ‘Fortress‘, which has gained over 1.5 million streams on Spotify, to date. Since then he has collaborated with a plethora of other Irish artists including BENJAMYN, Conor Hamilton Long, Bridin, and Blimp, and has received radio play both in Ireland and abroad, including on BBC Radio 1.

Named as a wave making Irish producer for 2023 by Hot Press Magazine, Aran Sheehy is an artist and electronic musician from Dublin. His 2022 debut single ‘Burn,’ a collaboration with AILSHA, went to number 1 in the iTunes Electronic Charts, and his follow up ‘Mandala’ has seen endorsements from legends of the electronic music scene such as Sasha and Job Jobse. Music written, recorded, and produced by Aran has been featured on platforms such as RTÉ, Hot Press, iHeartRadio, SBS Australia, SpaceAmbient (over 100,000 subscribers) and The Psychedelic Muse (over 250,000 subscribers) Aran’s music has also gained over a million streams on Spotify and other online streaming platforms.

Aran released his debut EP ‘Bridge Burner‘ on May 26th, 2023, a hugely ambitious four track release which attempts to the bridge the gap between raw, energetic 90’s jungle and pristine, immaculately produced modern techno.
Apart from his solo work, Aran is also one half of electronica duo Manyana, and has a space ambient music side project entitled TrES-2b.

In the artists words;

‘We are so happy to bring you our first collaborative single, ‘The Waiting Room.’ Created in Shire Studios, our shared artistic space, this song is the first of what we hope to be many beautiful collaborations. It was such a joy getting to meld the beautiful, uplifting, floating house melodies of Kipunji with the dusty and dark analogue synthesis of Aran Sheehy. We consider ‘The Waiting Room’ not to be lo-fi, but rather to be our own unique brand of ‘Nostalgic House,’ as we truly believe this is a song that could sound at home in any decade from the 90’s through to today.’

Kipunji x Aran Sheehy – ‘The Waiting Room’

All music written, produced, mixed, and mastered by Paul Jarvis and Aran Sheehy at Shire Studios in Blessington, Co.Wicklow.

Kipunji’s Links;

 Spotify // Instagram 

Aran Sheehy’s Links;

 Spotify // Instagram // Website 

From her second album, ‘Come As You Are’, out 31^st May 2024 on Faction Records 

Pre-order the album on vinyl and CD

+ FREE POP-UP SHOWS + FESTIVALS ANNOUNCED

Critically acclaimed Irish artist Niamh Regan will release her second album  ‘Come As You Are’ on vinyl, CD, and digital 31^st May 2024 via Faction Records.

EARMILK says “…ready to pull us into a world of acutely observed vulnerabilities and introspection, the upcoming album is set to showcase a bold evolution of Regan’s sound”, and UNCUT reviews the album “there’s a touch of Laura Marling in her voice, something of John Martyn in her intonation and Nick Drake in her guitar picking, the influence of everyone from Jeff Tweedy to Josh Ritter in her crafted storytelling 8/10.”

Niamh shares another taster from the album today (16^th May 2024), ‘Music’, and of the song, she says “Music is one of my favourite songs on the record. I was listening to a lot of Wilco while making this record and this song is like a nod to that with regards to production. It’s the first song that I wrote where I thought this might be an ear worm, and just had lots of fun with the lyrics and melody and I hope that comes across in the recording now.”

 Listen here: https://factionrecords.lnk.to/Music

Official lyric video (by Juliet Bryant): https://youtu.be/jsEBqmx5AKA?si=UCrS39t2M2UsfLxg

ABOUT ‘COME AS YOU ARE’

Niamh Regan’s 2020 debut album ‘Hemet’ introduced her as an artist with a gift for crafting folk-tinged songs with a quiet, reflective intensity. The release started to make waves and achieved over 1 million streams on Spotify and led to nominations for both the RTÉ Folk Awards and the Choice Music Prize ‘Album of the Year’.

Since its release, Niamh has embarked on headline tours from Ireland, to UK, Australia, Spain + more. Pairing this with many festivals and a variety of support opportunities with artist such as CMAT, Villagers, John Grant, SOAK, Patrick Watson, Sam Amidon, Cormac Begley, and Sorcha Richardson.

In between her performances, Niamh began to write her second record in Attica Studios with producer Tommy McLaughlin. She says ‘I arrived in Donegal to meet Tommy for the first time with a bunch of demos, half-baked ideas and feeling not ready, it was scary. But I’m so glad that I did it that way. Trusted the process and came into the studio with the intention of capturing exactly where I was with it all and Tommy helped me build from there.’

And here we are, with the upcoming release of that second album, titled ‘Come As You Are’. It’s an album full of acutely observed vulnerabilities and introspection. Its themes are the issues that many of us find loom large in the small hours: questions of self-doubt, uncertainty about your life’s direction, whether relationships are flourishing in the way you’d hoped and determining priorities.

“A lot of it is about being in your late twenties and kind of realising we’re all running out of time,” she ponders. “I’d have bouts of massive self-belief in the studio, and then in the next breath I would be like, ‘This is the worst piece of music I could have even imagined.’ It was a rollercoaster. But through that I found self-acceptance; this is where I’m at and making peace with that. That’s what the album essentially is, just making peace with where I’m at and being realistic with myself.”

Niamh’s goal for the record was to achieve a richer, full live band sound, inspired by her love of Julia Jacklin, Caroline Rose, and especially Wilco. While there are moments of intimacy, the songs on ‘Come As You Are’ are far grander in scale and ambition than those on ‘Hemet’.

She has a contagious passion for performing live, having recently completed tours of Ireland, Switzerland, Spain, the UK, and supporting CMAT in the EU. Niamh explains the joy of releasing new music for her is performing it to a live audience, “It’s the best feeling and I think I’ll be chasing it for the rest of my life.”

And that’s a feeling that ‘Come As You Are’ will help her tap into. It’s an album which is a confident step forward, full of songs with the spark to come alive on stage and with the immediacy to beckon newcomers into her world.

Pre-order Niamh Regan’s album ‘Come As You Are’, out 31^st May 2024 via Faction Records.

https://irishmusicmarket.com/collections/niamh-regan 

‘MUSIC’ by Niamh Regan, is out now (Thurs 16^th May 2024):  

Listen here: https://factionrecords.lnk.to/Music

Official lyric video (by Juliet Bryant): https://youtu.be/jsEBqmx5AKA?si=UCrS39t2M2UsfLxg

TOUR DATES:
POP-UP SHOWS + SIGNINGS:

To celebrate her upcoming album release, Niamh will be touring across the country performing free pop-up stores in record stores and cafés, see her at:
Thurs 30th May – Pot Duggan’s, Ennistymon, Co. Clare, 8pm
Fri 31st May – Fairhill Coffee, Galway, 12 noon
Fri 31st May – Spindizzy Records, Dublin, 6pm
Sat 1st June – MusicZone, Cork, 1pm
Sat 1st June – Prim’s Bookshop, Kinsale, Cork, 4pm
Mon 3rd June – Rollercoaster Records, Kilkenny, 2pm
Weds 5th June – Luca Records, Waterford, 8pm
Thurs 6th June – Steamboat Records, Limerick, 5.15pm

UK (SOLO)
9th June – Metronome, Nottingham | (supporting Memorial)
10th June – Portland Arms, Cambridge | (supporting Memorial)
11th June – Paperdress Vintage, London | (supporting Memorial)
12th June – The Wight Bear, Bournemouth | (supporting Memorial)

IE TOUR DATES 2024
16^th June – Doolin Folk Festival (full band)
25^th July – Song Room, Wexford (solo)
12^th August – Kilkenny Arts Festival (solo)
17^th August – Electric Picnic (solo)
14^th November – Cyprus Avenue, Cork (full band – presented by In Bloom Agency)
15^th November – Liberty Hall Theatre, Dublin (full band – presented by Foggy Notions)

Tickets: https://shor.by/zC6c
+ more to be announced

****

“…Ready to pull us into a world of acutely observed vulnerabilities and introspection, the upcoming album is set to showcase a bold evolution of Regan’s sound” – EARMILK

“Niamh Regan is the real deal btw. A songwriter. a WRITER of SONGS. new stuff is somehow sounding even better. raising the bar and doing it FLAWLESSLY” – CMAT

“There’s a touch of Laura Marling in her voice, something of John Martyn in her intonation and Nick Drake in her guitar picking, the influence of everyone from Jeff Tweedy to Josh Ritter in her crafted storytelling…” – 8/10 UNCUT Magazine

“…one of the most formidable forces in the Irish indie-folk scene… a pristine record which deals with faltering relationships, self-doubt, and love with exactitude and fearless candour.” – 9/10 Hot Press

Alice Kiernan has today announced her brand new single Jealous coming to all major music platforms Friday, May 17th.

The singer-songwriter returns to the music scene with her latest piece of work which introduces listeners to a side of Alice they’ve never experienced before.

Speaking about the release Alice said: “Jealous is a song all about wanting it to work with someone, be it a friendship or a relationship, but unfortunately they can never allow you to ever be a step above them. They’re never happy when you’re happy. They only want you when you’re a shell of yourself. It’s a completely different sound to anything I’ve done before. It’s bolder, grittier, and I’m so excited for people to hear it. ”

About Alice Kiernan:

Alice is a 28-year-old singer songwriter and musician from Meath, based in Dublin. She is the sole writer and co-producer on all of her tracks. She is entirely self managed and Jealous will be her fifth release. Her music has gained media coverage from RTE, 2FM, BBC, Hotpress, JOE.ie, The Independent and more. 

In 2021, she gained a following on TikTok with her music and poetry reaching over 361,000 likes and almost 3 million views. One of her most popular TikTok’s include her love/hate letter to Dublin which gained media attention from RTE, The Irish Times, LadBible and more, with the iconic line ‘I love my home, but my home doesn’t love me back’.

Jealous will be available on Spotify, iTunes, Apple Music and all other music platforms May 17th.

“Set to a sprawling synth soundscape, the pops and clicks and electronic hooks that fill the spectrum of T.A. Narrative meld with the intricate vocal interplay resulting in a lush listen from start to finish”

– The Last Mixed Tape 

“It’s hard to believe there’s just two names behind the intricate, bursting sound of Limerick city duo T.A. Narrative, and yet it’s true.”

– Hot Press

T.A. Narrative is a duo from Limerick, Ireland, composed of Tara Nix and Anna Murphy. The pair, who are childhood friends, have worked together under various guises, sharing the stage in Irish punk bands and touring and recording in the U.S.

Starting a collaboration as T.A. Narrative during lockdown, their unique and exciting visual live show and the release of their debut E.P. ‘Retro Futurism’ in 2023 has firmly placed them as a must-see act. Drawing influences from post-punk, electronic, and sparkly pop music (from Fugazi to Kim Petras), they have been described as having a charming abandon and a palpable sense of freedom and joy in the music that they create. (Notbad.ie).

Fresh off the back of a tour with Irish electronic giants, King Kong Company, a much talked about performance at last year’s Electric Picnic Festival, and having opened for the likes of Les Savy Fav, Bush Tetras, O., Le Boom & KYNSY, T.A. Narrative will be releasing new single ‘Caught Out’ this summer followed by a new E.P. in the Autumn. Expect to dance your tits off.

The duo are also booked for this year’s All Together Now festival so expect big things to come, keep your eyes and ears open as T.A Narrative is about to take off.

Caught Out is a dramatic, thumping, synth-driven pop song, drawing influence from icons such as Lady Gaga, Robyn and Abba. The song came about quite fast one evening when Tara and Anna were having a handstand competition in Tara’s kitchen. Fellow Limerick producer Chris Kirby brought his honed production skills to the track to create an exciting buzzing soundscape. It gives a nod to the iconic pop sound from the 00’s and beyond.

Speaking about the track, Tara states:

“I wrote this as an observer, witnessing someone engaging in the addictive state of infatuation, and the destruction that followed. While I claim to be an outside observer, I can’t help but see parallels between their behaviour, my own experiences, and the larger societal, environmental, and global issues we all face.”

Caught Out was written by T.A. Narrative, Recorded and Produced by Chris Kirby, Mixed by Chris Pawlusek and Mastered by Richard Dowling at Wav Mastering.

It’s a track made for dancefloors and festivals so get strap yourself in!

Instagram  Twitter  Spotify

8pm | Thursday 16th May | Live & Online
Livestreamed via othervoices.ie & YouTube

_____

This Thursday night, Other Voices and the Office of Public Works bring their new series of ‘Anam – Songs for Hearts & Minds’ to Portumna Castle in County Galway.

Following last week’s series premiere, Anam returns this week to showcase three more extraordinary Other Voices performances, set against the backdrop of one of Ireland’s most cherished heritage sites.

Presented by MayKay, episode two welcomes a diverse line-up including Waterford’s breakout pop act Moncreiff, who brings his dynamic sound and electrifying stage presence to the Portumna’s Jacobean manor house with a string quartet adding extra magic to his Other Voices’ debut.

“In this second episode, rising-star EFÉ flaunts her endless creativity and flawless performance credentials, adapting her most loved tracks and unreleased material for the unique setting of Portumna Castle.”

And fresh from releasing his critically acclaimed debut LP Cold Sea earlier this year, Navan native and former half of The Lost Brothers Oisín Leech showcases his solo work which has been lauded as a triumph of songwriting and masterful musicianship.

Anam will continue its musical journey across Ireland next Thursday as the series visits Dublin’s Pearse Museum to bring viewers performances from chart-topping drill duo TraviS & Elzzz, viral sensation Sarah Crean and Bláth na hÓige’s Piaras Ó Lorcáin, with the series finale taking place on the banks of Lough Gill in Parke’s Castle with legendary fiddle player Martin Hayes, alt-folk duo Lemoncello and more. Episode one featuring Adrianne Lenker, Uly and Muireann Bradley is available to catch up now on YouTube.

In the words of Philip King from Other Voices, “We are so delighted these magnificent buildings (like Portumna Castle) will play host to some of the world’s great musicians and singers and that we can stream these performances the world over.”

Minister of State with responsibility for Office of Public Works, Kieran O’Donnell T.D. stated: “Following on from the success of last year’s Other Voices music series as Minister for the OPW, I am very pleased that we are partnering once more with Other Voices and Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. This exciting project will celebrate the links between the arts, culture, history and heritage sites across the country. I look forward to musical performances from some of Ireland’s most talented artists – made all the more meaningful by the surrounds of these stunning historical buildings and locations.”

Performances will be streamed to the world via the Other Voices YouTube each Thursday at 8pm. Music fans can set a reminder now for all the livestreams.

Photo credit: Shane Heneghan @shane.archives

This Friday, Ireland’s RnB innovator Monjola shares his new single ‘Go Wrong’ via Chamomile Records.

An elastic summer anthem that marries singing and rapping, ‘Go Wrong’ sees Monjola questioning the missteps that led to the unraveling of a relationship before surrendering to life’s inevitable ups and downs. Opening with sun-kissed refrains and melodies, MJ soon changes gears over a beat switch highlighting he’s as comfortable in the booth as he is soundtracking the brighter evenings. It’s yet another example of the Dublin multi-hyphenate’s signature approach that blends catchy melodies, immersive songwriting and features soulful production from his brother and label mate Moio.

Speaking on the single Monjola says, “It’s a journey through the labyrinth of past relationships, where the corridors echo with the haunting whispers of regret. The song is about reflecting on past relationships. Thinking about things that you might have done wrong and situations you wish you could revisit. Whilst revisiting this feeling it’s also about feeling a sense of peace, knowing you can’t change the past and you need to focus on you. It’s not that deep”.

The Irish-Nigerian singer’s sound has already earned praise from Notion, Wonderland, The Line of Best Fit, District Magazine, Nialler9 and enjoyed airplay from BBC 1xtra. While he was also named as part of RTÉ 2FM Rising’s 2021 edition.

Sonically sitting somewhere in the sweet spot of a venn diagram between Tom Misch, Kojey Radical and Saba, ‘Go Wrong’ is the next in a long line of upbeat cuts. It comes after the release of ‘ON MY MIND’ featuring Moio and ‘OFTEN’.

Having toyed with releases on soundcloud during school, MJ’s artistic vision began to crystallize during lockdown when he, his younger brother Moio and Aby Coulibaly spent their time making music before starting their own label Chamomile Records. It’s quickly become one of Ireland’s most exciting DIY outfits and a home for the inseparable soup of soul, hip hop, RNB, pop and jazz that make up their releases.

This sound has propelled Monjola to tours with Kid Cudi and Genesis Owusu. However, the label co-founder has kept his feet firmly on the ground with his jam sessions in his DIY studio that bring Dublin’s Rnb, soul and pop scene together while his Chamomile Club nights are some of the most exciting in the city and often sell out within a day of release. It’s part of his bigger mission to inspire the next generation of black and Irish artists and foster a community where diversity thrives and emerging talents are celebrated.

Last year, Chamomile Club held The Chamomile Garden Party in The Complex and united the UK and Irish alternative scenes, inviting acts like Wicklow’s Cosha and London Rapper Sam Wise to Ireland’s capital. The second edition takes place on July 27th.

Follow Monjola
Instagram / TikTok